Oh! it was a little paradise, and not without its Eve. But
such an Eve! I scarcely think the old Serpent himself could have found
it in his heart to have beguiled her.
"I say, Tom, my dear boy," said Mr Bang, "do you see that darling? Oh,
who can picture to himself, without a tear, that such a creature of
light, such an ethereal--looking thing, whose step 'would ne'er wear out
the everlasting flint,' that floating gossamer on the thin air, shall
one day become an anxious--looking, sharp--featured, pale--faced, loud
tongued, thin--bosomed, broad bottomed wife!"
The next day, or rather in the same night, his Majesty's ship Rabo
arrived, and the first tidings we had of it in the morning were
communicated by Captain Qeuedechat himself, an honest, uproarious
sailor, who chose to begin, as many a worthy ends, by driving up to the
door of the lodging in a cart.
"Is the Captain of the small schooner that was swamped, here?" he asked
of Massa Pegtop.
Free and easy this, thought I.
"Yes, sir, Captain Cringle is here, but him no get up yet."
"Oh, never mind, tell him not to hurry himself; but where is the table
laid for breakfast?"
"Here, sir," said Pegtop, as he showed him into the piazza.
"Ah, that will do--so give me the newspaper--tol de rol," and he began
reading and singing, in all the buoyancy of mind consequent on escaping
from shipboard after a three months cruise.
I dressed and came to him as soon as I could; and the gallant Captain,
whom I had figured to myself a fine light gossamer lad of twenty--two,
stared me in the face as a fat elderly cock of forty at the least; and
as to bulk, I would not have guaranteed that eighteen stone could have
made him kick the beam.
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